Evil thug protected by silence

A CONSPIRACY of silence protects a thug who punched a one-armed 97-year-old great-grandmother in the face, leaving her fighting for her life. The yob targeted frail Evelyn Jackson - who uses a wheelchair - in her own home and stole cash she was saving to give to her grandchildren.

A CONSPIRACY of silence protects a thug who punched a one-armed 97-year-old great-grandmother in the face, leaving her fighting for her life.

The yob targeted frail Evelyn Jackson - who uses a wheelchair - in her own home and stole cash she was saving to give to her grandchildren.

It is thought local youngsters know who committed the attack but have not come forward.

Today, police and Evelyn's family urged them to "do the right thing" and help bring the yob to justice.

They are hoping this harrowing picture of Evelyn taken in her hospital bed will convince anyone with information to come forward and prevent the attacker from striking again.

Parents are being asked to question their children about where they were between 1.30pm and 2.15pm on Friday when Evelyn was attacked and ask if they know who was responsible.

Evelyn's grandaughter, Diane Monks, 35, from Gorton said: "The person who did this to my gran has got to be some kind of animal, someone evil or someone on drugs who doesn't know what they are doing. I can't see how anyone in their right mind could do this to a helpless old lady.

Bruises

"She has one arm and uses a wheelchair, there was no need to have hurt her in this way. They could have simply taken the money."

Evelyn was attacked when she opened the door at her flat in Bickerdike Court in Longsight, Manchester, last Friday.

The force of her attacker's punch broke her jaw and knocked her to the ground and she broke her hip. Her family say bruises suggest her attacker also grabbed her around the neck.

Despite emergency treatment at Manchester Royal Infirmary, she remains desperately ill with doctors and the police fearing she may not survive an operation to repair her bones.

Diane added: "I am so angry and frustrated. I have sat by her bedside and listened to her cry, asking why he had to hurt her and steal the money she had been saving to give to her grandchildren.

"It makes me cry, but it also makes me want to see whoever did this to her suffer in the same way she has.

"She lost her arm in an accident when she was 16, her husband died when he was just 39 and she brought up her children alone. Then she lost her two daughters to cancer when they were in their 40s, she suffered from TB and cancer herself and more recently had a heart attack. Hasn't she been through enough?

Independent

"She should have been able to spend her last years in dignity and peace, but instead, she is suffering in hospital.

"If there is anyone out there who knows anything about what happened I would beg them to please come forward. There's got to be someone out there with a heart."

Fiercely independent Evelyn had lived in the same flat for nearly 40 years and loved to go shopping with Diane and entertain her great-granddaughter, Lauren Burns, who made regular visits. She has eight grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

Det Insp Frank Robbie said: "I can't understand how someone could have punched this frail and defenceless woman and then left her lying there."

A 14-year-old boy was arrested after the attack, but has since been released on police bail pending inquiries.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.